


Of Summer Breeze and Starry Nights

by willsolace



Category: I Am Number Four (2011)
Genre: Canon Compliant (with the movie), First Love, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, movieverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22599265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/willsolace/pseuds/willsolace
Summary: It was unfair how anyone could look so beautiful in a t-shirt, overlaid with an unbuttoned flannel shirt, and a pair of skinny jeans. And the way his hair was gelled up, or how defined his facial features were– shit. Did he really just check him out? He mentally slapped his forehead.
Relationships: Sam Goode/John Smith | Number Four
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Of Summer Breeze and Starry Nights

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, so I had just rewatched "I am Number Four" and decided to write a little something about these two. I've only seen the movie, and have never read the books, so apologies if a lot of it is out of character. But these two did not have enough screen time together, and there's certainly not enough fics about them!

It had been a year since John was on the run for the first time without Henri. Time had mostly done its job to heal, but the wound was still there, buried within his subconsciousness. It did get easier though over time, thanks to Six and Sam. 

“Hey, whatcha get there?” 

John jumped and internally cursed at himself, not expecting Sam to creep in and grabbed what was supposed to be his lunch, and then bolted away.

“You can go fuck yourself, Sam!” he shouted, no real heat behind his words. He smiled as Sam turned back to him, his smirk plastered all over his face, holding John’s half-eaten chocolate bar. That cheeky asshole. That grin looked good on him, though. He loved the way his eyes lit up, how suddenly his face radiated a wave of joy John himself couldn’t help but smile back. Sam had always beamed a youthful enthusiasm, the kind that seemed to bring the whole room alive, and it had only intensified as Sam laughed softly. 

It was unfair how anyone could look so beautiful in a t-shirt, overlaid with an unbuttoned flannel shirt, and a pair of skinny jeans. And the way his hair was gelled up, or how defined his facial features were– shit. Did he really just check him out? He mentally slapped his forehead. 

It was scary to think how much Sam grew on him. Not that he was willing to admit that to himself. Or to anyone. Sam deserved so much more than what life had handed him with. He would never understand how anyone as kind and gentle and pure as Sam could be treated like nothing more than an unwanted child. But he was wanted, he was so so wanted damn it! And John was determined to do everything he could to let the other boy know. 

“Hey, sharing is caring!” Sam quipped, biting the chocolate bar as he came to sit next to John. 

“You look cheery today. What’s the matter with you?” John smirked. Not that he minded of course.

“I don’t know. It’s been a great week so far… No cops or Mogadorians on our tail.” 

That was true. This was the longest they had been without an incident in weeks. “And it’s your birthday tomorrow,” John added.

“How do you remember that?” the other boy laughed.

“Of course, I do. It’s you!” he took his chocolate back. He could see Sam’s expression softened, as if trying to take it in because apparently it was beyond human understanding how anyone was willing to remember anything about him.

They sat in comfortable silence on the hood of the truck, leaning against the windshield. It was a sunny day, but the cool breeze made it bearable to stay outside on a summer afternoon by the beach. Honestly, he could stay there all day. Beautiful weather with a gorgeous view, and the person he cared about the most in the world next to him – what more could he ask for? 

“I’m gonna go get some supplies. Wanna come?” Sam asked after a while.

“Yeah, I’ll come with you.” I’d follow you anywhere, he didn’t add. 

He liked his mini road trips with Sam. Just the two of them, plus Bernie, while Six was off somewhere trying to get as much information from the locals as she could. By the time they were done, the sun had almost set, and they went to meet with her.

“Hey lovebirds, had fun?” Six greeted them. John rolled his eyes. It was almost like a hobby for her to make him feel awkward around Sam, but the younger boy never seemed to mind. He smiled warmly at her.

“Found anything interesting?” Sam asked, suddenly interested to hear how her search went.

“Nope, but I managed to get a few recommendations for freakin’ brunch! Humans are fucking useless,” she whined.

“Um, thanks?” Sam replied.

She smirked at him. “Let’s go back to the motel. I’m exhausted,” she sighed. 

It was nighttime when they arrived. Sam immediately headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner, while he and Six made their way to the motel’s empty pool, just outside their room. She was like an excited dolphin as she jumped into the water splashing it everywhere. Sometimes he forgot that she was a teenager. John settled to find a dry area to sit on as he played with the water ever so slightly with his legs, facing their motel room. He could see Sam busy doing his own thing. And he didn’t mind the view at all. 

“You know this pining game is getting boring,” Six broke the silence.

“Wh- What are you talking about?” 

She groaned and rolled her eyes. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You do notice that you were staring at him, right? You and your disgusting heart eyes all over him. Just tell him how you feel already!”

“Shut up, I was not staring. I was just… glancing from afar. And I do not make heart eyes!”

“Whatever. Both of you aren’t exactly being subtle, you know. Anyone paying attention could see through both of your obliviousness and tell you really like each other.” She swam away, frustrated. 

They were quiet for a moment. The silence may have been deafening had it not been for the splashing sound Six made. 

“How long have you known?” he carefully asked, finally admitting his feelings for the brunette. 

“A couple of months. Even before you broke up with Sarah.”

That was kind of true actually. He had always cared for the other boy even from the first day they met. But he had only grown closer to Sam ever since they started their search for the others. And his feelings for the younger boy had only intensified since then, even while he was technically still with Sarah. Well, fuck. There was no going back from this.

“I can see cogs turning inside that big dumb brain, which is good, because it’s about time,” she retorted.

“I- I don’t know what to do. I really don’t want to ruin whatever we have now,” he confessed.

Her eyes softened and she swam towards him. “There is nothing to ruin if there isn’t anything to begin with. You’re only hurting yourselves by being in this pine dance with him,” she said. “He cares about you just as much as you do about him.”

“He’s just like that with everyone. He has a big heart.”

“I will only say this once, and I will deny it in public if asked, okay? But you two are really good for each other,” she looked away. “I have never really had friends or family, other than my protector. That was, before I met you two. And I genuinely want to see you two happy. You both owe it to yourselves to do that, and you two make each other so disgustingly happy I want to puke but,” she paused and looked him in the eye. “I’m really glad you have found each other.”

“Dinner’s ready!” Sam shouted from the window.

She chuckled, “Your boyfriend’s calling.”

He facepalmed, but he couldn’t contain his own smile.

“Just think about it, okay?” she said.

He nodded as she went out of the pool. Both of them started walking in silence to their room. He didn’t expect to have a heart-to-heart with Six. He didn’t know she could be one hell of a sister when he needed one. “Hey,” he started. “Thank you. It means a lot coming from you.” And he meant it. Every word.

She smirked, “Don’t go all sappy on me now.” She laughed. 

He rolled his eyes but smiled in return.

They had dinner and they struggled to keep their noise down. They talked and laughed and joked around. It was during one of these incredibly rare moments that he realized how lucky he had been. Sure, life hadn’t always been easy for him, especially not now either, but being surrounded by the people who cared about him, and without an ounce of doubt, loved him unconditionally outweighed everything he had to endure as a Loric and all the adversities that awaited him. And it was during one of these magical, albeit fleeting, moments did he really get to appreciate the gift of life itself and the unpayable sacrifices his people had made for him.

He tossed and turned on the bed he shared with Sam, unable to sleep. Sam was right next to him. He knew he was still awake, but if he had minded John’s frantic motion, he didn’t say anything. He couldn’t help but think of what Six said. Maybe he should tell Sam how he really felt. He was scared of the rejection, but if what Six had told him was any indication that Sam had felt the same way about him, he really shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Okay, he was going to do it. He owed at least that much to the other boy to let him know what he felt. And he was determined as ever to make sure Sam saw himself the way John had always done. 

But holy fuck, time was moving so slowly. It was only eleven o’clock and he couldn’t squeeze his eyes to shut his brain to sleep. He was nervous. He tried going to sleep for real now, trying to think about nothing. It didn’t work because of course his brain just had to do the opposite of what he had told it to. 

He stared at the ceiling, the night sky just outside of the window, anything but the boy next to him to keep his mind away from overthinking. He looked at the time again and it was twelve o’clock. He sighed almost too loudly.

“Can’t sleep?” Sam asked finally. He finally turned to face John.

“Yeah. But hey, it’s twelve! It’s your birthday!” He sat upright and smiled at Sam who did the same. “Happy birthday, man!” he rushed forward to hold the other boy, squeezing him so tightly in his embrace. He loved this boy so much. Sam returned the hug with one that was almost just as tight. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, beaming so brightly as he gave his signature smile. John knew Sam wasn’t just thanking him for the birthday wish. It was for everything else that came before. It was for John finding him in the most unlikely of places. It was to the universe which, for once, had been kind enough to at least let them have this.

Sam looked so happy and God, he looked so good. He deserved everything good coming his way. John wanted to just stay in that moment and cherish that precious smile. He was gonna do this. Yes, he would. 

He slowly leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Sam’s eyes widened, caught off guard, and his face reddened like a tomato. Only John hadn’t noticed the blush, too preoccupied by Sam’s sudden stiffness. Shit, did he fuck up? No, there was no turning back now. It was now or never.

“I have to tell you something,” he started. He took a deep breath and tried to exhale all the worries he had in that moment because Sam deserved a proper confession, not a half-assed one. “I want you to know that you are the single most important person in my life right now, and I trust you with all my life. You are the most breathtaking being I have ever seen. I like the way your eyes wrinkle just slightly when you smile, I like the way your dimples form as you laugh, I like how your face lights up tirelessly with joy regardless of how much underserved shit life has thrown at you. I like your kind and gentle heart. I like your youthful optimism; you always see the best in people and situations. The world doesn’t deserve you, and you can call me selfish but I’m so glad you exist at all because the world needs more people like you. I love you so fucking much it’s practically impossible to think of life without you being in it. I don’t know how I managed all these years before I finally met you, but I don’t ever want to remember how that felt,” he exhaled finally. 

He finally had the courage to look Sam in the eye. Sam was still smiling, but he was also tearing up. His eyes were so captivating, made even more dazzling under the moonlight as the light refracts through his glossy eyes. Sam was iridescent. He finally understood what Henri meant when he said his kind loved for life. Everything that came up before was simply infatuation. This was different, though. It was sweet and viscous like honey, heart-wrenchingly painful and melancholic like bittersweet nostalgia, bright and hopeful as daylight, calm and carefree like the soft breeze on a summer night under the starry sky, more magical than anything he’d ever experienced. It was like coming home. Sam was his home.

He didn’t need Sam to say anything because he knew what he felt wasn’t unrequited as Sam intertwined their hands. But Sam did anyway, “I know all your life you’re trained to be a ghost, to blend in just to get by. I can’t begin to comprehend what that kind of burden must feel like, and I would give anything if I could to take that load off of you. And sometimes it seems easier to be completely invisible from the rest of the world. But I need you to know that you-” he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, a tear slowly trickled down his face, and opened them again with a newfound determinism. “You’re all I see.”

With that, he closed the gap between their lips.


End file.
